These 18 Famous People Were Killed By Animals

When we think of celebrities, we think of them as almost a different species than us. They are millionaires, up on the big screen in front of the big screen and seem almost indestructible. But to animals, they are the exact same to you and me. So when these famous people get a little bit too comfortable around dangerous animals, bad things can sometimes happen, like it did to these 18 celebrities. These 18 people had unfortunate run-ins with animals that cost them their lives. Go read on and see 18 famous people who were killed by animals, with number 4 probably being the most famous example of all time.

#18 Timothy Treadwell

When it came to bears, Treadwell was an expert. He spent over a dozen summers studying and working with bears and had a better understanding of their behaviour than anyone else. Unfortunately, he was maule and killed by a brown bear in 2003. Check out the 11th entry for another horrific case of bears taking the life of someone that knows them best.

#17 Taylor Mitchell

Back in 2009. Canadian country-folk singer Taylor Mitchell was a rising star. In fact, many thought she would be the next Shania Twain. But unfortunately, we would never find out as she was killed while walking a trail in Cape Breton, and was attacked and killed by coyotes, which rarely kill people. This next one will make you cringe…

#16 Nikola VII Zrinski

Zrinski was a famous Croatian military leader and poet. He had a very famous bloodline and as a result was well-liked and respected by his peers. And despite his impressive titles and accolades, the way he died did not live up to that. He actually died on a wild boar hunt, with many believing that one of them got to him.

#15 Dianna Whipple

Whipple was a famous lacrosse player for the University of Southern California and was well known in the sport. She was having an extremely normal day on January 26th, 2001, as she went shopping for groceries. But when she went back to go into her apartment, she was killed by two dogs who attacked her. Our next entry, however, was killed by something much much bigger than a dog.

#14 Keltie Byrne

While Byrne might not have been incredibly famous, this event definitely gave her name some fame. She was a marine biology student and actually fell into the tank where the famous Tillicum resided. He prevented her from resurfacing, killing her in the process. Make sure to check out the 9th entry, which features another giant culprit.

#13 Surinder Singh Bajwa

While he was alive, Bajwa was the deputy Mayor of Delhi, India. Unfortunately, he only was able to enjoy the title for a few months before he was killed. He was killed by a group of monkeys that found their way into his home. For someone else that got killed by a similar monkey, check out number 5.

#12 José Gómez Ortega

People in Spain are simply obsessed with bull-fighting, and in the golden era for the sport, Ortega was the most famous fighter around. But despite his skill, it wasn’t enough to save him on the unfortunate day when the bull got the best of him. For another person that was killed for the sake of entertainment, check out number 7.

#11 Vitaly Nikolayenko

Just like the first entry on the list, this man was a true expert on bears. Nikolayenko had more than 30 years experience with bears, but that didn’t stop one from killing him, in what was a huge loss to the scientific community. Also, his death only happened a few months before Treadwell’s. This next one will make you look at dogs differently…

#10 Jean Batten

Jean Batten was an absolute legend in aviation and was the owner of a number of record-breaking flights for her time. She was a hero and role model for women of all ages. But in her later years, while traveling the world, she was bitten and attacked by a dog which ended up killing her. I guess dogs aren’t always man’s best friend.

#9 Jacky Boxburger

Boxburger was a world famous French athlete and was a rare talent, as he could race in both short and long track races. He attended four straight Olympic games from 1968 to 1984. And while knee injuries forced him to retire early, his unbelievable death story in 2001 kept him in pop culture. While on a trip to Kenya, he was actually killed by an elephant.

#8 Ada Clare

Way back in the mid-1800s, Clare was a talented stage actress. In addition to that, she was also a famous writer. But the way she died was truly unique as she was attacked by a dog with rabies in her own agent’s office. For another rabies-related death, check out the last entry on this list.

#7 George Hensley

Hensley was a famous minister who had the view that all Christians were required to handle poisonous snakes, according to the scriptures. While this was a fairly crazy view, others still took to it. In fact, his church services included handling deadly snakes. But one day, the snakes turned on him and killed him. This is possible one of my worst nightmares.

#6 Marty Feldman

While you may not know his name, you definitely know his eyes. This actor was famous for his eyes that bulged out from his face. And while he didn’t die as a result of an animal attacking him like most on this list, an animal definitely led to his death. He died after food poisoning which came from eating shellfish.

#5 Alexander I of Greece

Despite a short reign as a monarch, Alexander went through some real craziness. He ruled during the first world war as well as the Greco-Turkish war. And while he was a hugely important ruler, that didn’t stop him from dying in a very strange way. He was bitten by a monkey and later died of septicemia.

#4 Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin was universally loved for his amazing personality and TV shows. He dealt with deadly animals in a way that no one else could. Unfortunately, his comfortability with dangerous animals got the better of him when a stingray killed him. The next entry was also an expert and was killed by the exact thing he was an expert on.

#3 Joseph Bruno Slowinski

If we have learned anything from the people killed in this article, just because you are an expert about something, doesn’t mean it can’t kill you. Slowinski was a PHD that worked with snakes and unfortunately was bitten by one in 2001 and died 29 hours later after his team tried numerous times to medically assist him, which didn’t work.

#2 Kenneth Pinyan

This is easily the strangest case on this list. Not only was this man not attacked, he actually died doing something he loved. For some reason, Pinyan enjoyed having sex with horses, but there are reasons that kind of stuff isn’t common. He ended up dying during the act, and is the subject of the documentary “Zoo.”

#1 Fernando Poe Sr.

During the early days of Philippine cinema, this man was a star, as was his son. But while he was known as an actor, the unreal way he died has kept his name around decades and decades after he died. He was killed when a rabies-infested dog licked an open wound of his, which transmitted the disease to him.

So, as you can see, even the cream of the crop when it comes to fame and riches can still be victims. Like I said in the introduction, animals don’t care whether you are a famous millionaire of just a regular joe. If you invade their privacy or don’t respect the inherent danger they can present to anyone, you could be in for a world of hurt. Let these 18 horrific encounters be a cautionary tale to all of us about how animals should be respected and not taken lightly, especially when they are ones that could easily kill you.

Whats Trending ?

What could be more natural than the act of love between two consenting adults? Nothing at all! Something truly special happens when you share intimacy with another person, whether it's a long-term partner or...

This music festival was not your ordinary music festival. It was a cultural milestone for Baby Boomers, the 1960s generation. The Woodstock Music & Art Fair or informally called the Woodstock Festival or plainly...

Managing to maintain a long and highly-praised career in Hollywood is no easy task.
The public can easily forget about you because of a single bad film leading many producers will stop hiring you because you...

Celebrity is a privilege bestowed upon the few so that the many can enjoy their talents. That privilege comes with many perks from free (and expensive) gifts to global recognition. What celebrity cannot achieve is...